McLean will never play for Norn Iron

Following discussions between FIFA and the Irish Football Association, the IFA have confirmed that left back Brian McLean is ineligible to play for Northern Ireland as he wasn’t selected for a competitive match before his 21st birthday, and had previously played for Scotland at Under 16 and Under 17 levels.

Snow joke for McLean, who may never play international football again
Jim Boyce:
“This is both extremely disappointing for Northern Ireland and for the player and we have apologised to him for a mistake that has proved costly for both parties involved.”
Related posts: McLean completes trio of new faces in squad

McLean completes trio of new faces in squad

More photos of the new boys on the IFA site
Brian McLean of Rangers, currently on loan at Motherwell, is the 3rd new boy in the Northern Ireland squad to face Portugal. On his first call up, he said:
“It is brilliant to be involved. I didn’t expect it as I only played a couple of matches for the Under-21s – and that was a bolt out of the blue at the time. Hopefully I can use this experience with the senior team as a launchpad for the next European Championship. My allegiance now lies with Northern Ireland, not Scotland. I am proud to be a Rangers player but I am loving it with Motherwell,” he said. “I have played right wing and right-back as well as centre-half. It is as a centre-half I am more comfortable.”
David Healy, Aaron Hughes, Chris Baird, Damien Johnson, Roy Carroll and Michael Duff are all injured for the glamour friendly. Duff pulled out today due to an ankle injury, and so 20 year old McLean may well start the match at right back.
Keith Gillespie picked up an injury in training today and is also a doubt – but one man who wouldn’t be shedding any tears if he was is Steve Jones, who thought his time had come for a start back when we all thought Gillespie would be suspended for the match:
“If Keith hadn’t been available I was confident of getting the nod for the wide right berth. I’m convinced that’s the role the manager sees me playing even though I play up front most weeks for Crewe. It’s the position I enjoy most and recently I’ve been getting the goals, three in the last three games.
“I was building up my hopes when I heard Keith would be suspended after being sent off against Malta. There’s nothing personal because Keith is a very good player. It’s just that I badly need a break to show what I can do. “I’ve been around the squad now for something like three years and I am very proud of my 20 caps yet I have only started twice. The first time was against Estonia when I set up the winner for David Healy and the only other occasion was against Germany.”
Jones also reckons he could do a job up front:
“There’s nothing I’d like more than to play alongside Quinny. I believe I’d be the ideal foil. I can see myself cashing in on his head flicks. He’s good at attacking the ball in the air and holding it up.”
Jones made quite an impact when he appeared late in the game against Austria last time out and was denied a goal when his effort was cleared off the line.
The same thing happened when he left the bench against Canada and saw an angled shot bobble and come back off a post.
He sighs: “It’s only in keeping with my luck but I will not give up, neither will I lose my enthusiasm for playing for my country. I love being part of the set-up. I just wish I could get the chance to show what I can do over a full 90 minutes.
The man expected to be given Healy’s place in the starting lineup is Warren Feeney, and he doesn’t really care how much the opposition players are worth:
“I don’t care who I am up against, I play the same way in every game and won’t change that for anyone. I wasn’t worried when I came on against England who had Rio Ferdinand in the team and he cost close to £30 million. Ricardo Carvalho cost Chelsea £20million and he has gone on to win the Premiership with them, but playing against him won’t faze me. When we go out onto the pitch it is 11 v 11 and whoever plays the best will win.
“Every footballer wants to play against the best players and this is a great opportunity for me to do so. There are other players in the squad, like Steve Jones, who will be hoping they can take David Healy’s place. It is up to the manager who he decides to go with and I hope it is me who gets the start.”
The squad in full for tomorrow night:
Maik Taylor (Birmingham City), Michael Ingham (Wrexham), Colin Murdock (Rotherham United), Stephen Craigan (Motherwell), Tony Capaldi (Plymouth Argyle), Michael Duff (Burnley), Gareth McAuley (Lincoln City), Brian McLean (Motherwell), Steve Davis (Aston Villa), Chris Brunt (Sheffield Wednesday), Stuart Elliott (Hull City), Grant McCann (Cheltenham Town), Keith Gillespie (Sheffield United), James Quinn (Peterborough United), Warren Feeney (Luton Town), Steve Jones (Crewe Alexandra), Ivan Sproule (Hibernian), Peter Thompson (Linfield), Dean Shiels (Hibernian)